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Baked Cod with Lemon, Garlic, and Spiced Flour Recipe

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3.9 from 14 reviews

This Baked Cod Recipe with Lemon and Garlic is a flavorful and healthy dish featuring tender cod fillets coated in a zesty lemon and garlic sauce, lightly spiced and seared before baking to perfection. It’s a quick and easy recipe perfect for a nutritious weeknight dinner, delivering bright, fresh flavors with minimal prep.

Ingredients

Fish and Coating

  • 1.5 lb Cod fillet pieces (46 pieces)
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 3/4 tsp sweet Spanish paprika
  • 3/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Lemon Garlic Sauce

  • 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus 2 tbsp for searing)
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) to ensure it’s fully heated and ready for baking the fish after searing.
  2. Prepare Lemon Sauce Base: In a shallow bowl, combine lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and melted butter. Do not add the garlic yet; set this mixture aside as a bright, zesty base for dipping and drizzling later.
  3. Mix the Dry Coating: In another shallow bowl, thoroughly combine the all-purpose flour, ground coriander, sweet Spanish paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper to create a flavorful spice mixture for coating the fish.
  4. Coat the Cod: Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels to ensure the coating adheres well. Dip each piece first into the lemon sauce mixture, then into the flour and spice mix, shaking off any excess flour. Keep the lemon sauce reserved for the next step.
  5. Sear the Fish: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet or an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers (but is not smoking), add the coated cod fillets. Sear each side for about 2 minutes until they develop a golden crust but are not cooked through. Remove the skillet from heat.
  6. Add Garlic and Drizzle Sauce: Mix the minced garlic into the reserved lemon sauce. Drizzle this garlic-infused sauce evenly over the seared fish fillets in the pan to enhance the flavor before baking.
  7. Bake the Cod: Place the skillet in the preheated oven. Bake the fish until it flakes easily with a fork, approximately 10 minutes. Start checking around 8 minutes to avoid overcooking.
  8. Finish and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven. Sprinkle the freshly chopped parsley over the baked cod fillets for a fresh, herbal finish. Serve the fish immediately while warm.

Notes

  • Patting the fish dry before coating is essential for a crispy crust.
  • Be careful not to overcook the fish; cod cooks quickly and becomes dry if left too long.
  • Using a cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan allows seamless transfer from stovetop to oven.
  • You can substitute cod with other mild white fish like haddock or halibut if desired.
  • For a gluten-free option, replace all-purpose flour with almond flour or gluten-free flour blend.